Baía de Santos is a coastal bay in São Paulo, Brazil, facing the Atlantic Ocean. The bay hosts a national Va'a (outrigger canoe) championship. The race course was a triangular circuit, with paddlers launching parallel to the beach and heading towards Ububuqueçada Island, which is very close to the coast. From there, the route proceeds towards the mouth of the bay before returning to the finish line. Race organizers intended to utilize downwind conditions on the return leg, but during this event, winds were highly unstable, shifting direction constantly. This forced competitors to paddle crosswind for nearly the entire course, which was particularly grueling for those in V1 (single-hull outrigger) canoes. On a subsequent race day, winds increased and waves built, making the course more technical. The bay is crossed by a small ferry boat, indicating the presence of regular marine traffic that paddlers must be aware of and navigate around. The city of Santos and São Vicente Island overlook the bay, and Gonzaga Beach is a famous shoreline within the area. From an environmental perspective, scientific studies have documented heavy metals in the bay and changes in its benthic flora over time, pointing to historical water quality concerns that paddlers may wish to consider.